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Cybersecurity · head to head

Transmit Security vs TunnelBear

Transmit Security logo

Transmit Security

Cybersecurity

Customer identity platform built around passwordless and fraud signals

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
T

TunnelBear

Cybersecurity

Consumer VPN with a limited free tier and a bear-themed, beginner-friendly app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TunnelBear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Transmit Security pricing is not published, so it cannot be compared early against competitors that post per monthly active user rates, and the eventual quote often mixes per-user and per-transaction units.; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: Transmit Security covers Passwordless authentication, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Transmit Security and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where Transmit Security and TunnelBear differ
AttributeTransmit SecurityTunnelBear
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Transmit Security

  • Passwordless authentication
  • Detection and response
  • Identity verification
  • Orchestration
  • Account recovery
  • Bot and automation detection
  • Composable APIs

Only in TunnelBear

  • Encrypted VPN tunnel
  • Server location switching
  • GhostBear obfuscation
  • Browser extensions
  • Teams account management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Transmit Security

  • A bank moving a consumer base off passwords to passkeys without losing customers at the migration stepnot TunnelBear
  • An insurer whose account recovery flow is the main account takeover route and needs risk scoring inside itnot TunnelBear
  • A retailer that wants bot detection at login rather than only at checkoutnot TunnelBear
  • An organisation replacing an in-house customer login system that has become an unfunded engineering liabilitynot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

  • Casual browsing protection on public Wi-Finot Transmit Security
  • Occasional geo-unblocking with a light free allowancenot Transmit Security
  • Bypassing network-level VPN blocking via obfuscationnot Transmit Security
  • Managing VPN access for a small team with centralized billingnot Transmit Security

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Transmit Security

  • Pricing is not published, so it cannot be compared early against competitors that post per monthly active user rates, and the eventual quote often mixes per-user and per-transaction units.
  • Migrating a live consumer identity base is a high risk project, and credential migration constraints mean some users must re-register, which shows up as measurable churn.
  • The vendor is smaller than the identity incumbents, so the partner and systems integrator pool is thinner and staffing a large programme is harder.
  • Workforce identity is not the focus, so an organisation wanting one vendor for employees and customers will still run two platforms.
  • The fraud detection value depends on traffic volume feeding the models, so a smaller deployment gets less benefit from exactly the capability that justified choosing it over a plain identity provider.

TunnelBear

  • Free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • Lacks advanced features like dedicated IP addresses or split-tunneling controls found in some rival VPNs.
  • Server network is smaller than large competitors like NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
  • No standalone router-level app, limiting whole-network protection options.

Pricing, plan by plan

Transmit Security

On request
  • Transmit Security Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per monthly active user or per transaction by service
    • Services licensed individually or as a platform
    • Free developer tier for evaluation

TunnelBear

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2GB of data per month
    • Access to VPN servers
    • Unlimited devices
  • Unlimited$9.99/month
    • Unlimited monthly data
    • All server locations
    • Cheaper on annual/3-year billing
  • Teams$undefined/month
    • Unlimited data
    • 5 connected devices per user
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Transmit Security if

  • You need passwordless authentication.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want detection and response.
Transmit Security review

Choose TunnelBear if

  • You need encrypted vpn tunnel.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want server location switching.
TunnelBear review

Questions people ask

Is Transmit Security or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. Transmit Security starts at On request and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Transmit Security or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Transmit Security and Free for TunnelBear.
Does Transmit Security or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
Transmit Security runs on Web, iOS, Android. TunnelBear runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use TunnelBear for free?
Yes. TunnelBear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Transmit Security starts at On request.
What is Transmit Security best used for?
Transmit Security is most often used for a bank moving a consumer base off passwords to passkeys without losing customers at the migration step, an insurer whose account recovery flow is the main account takeover route and needs risk scoring inside it, a retailer that wants bot detection at login rather than only at checkout, an organisation replacing an in-house customer login system that has become an unfunded engineering liability. Of those, a bank moving a consumer base off passwords to passkeys without losing customers at the migration step and an insurer whose account recovery flow is the main account takeover route and needs risk scoring inside it are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can Transmit Security do that TunnelBear cannot?
Transmit Security covers Passwordless authentication, Detection and response, Identity verification, Orchestration. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Transmit Security: Do we have to replace our existing identity provider?

No. The services are composable, so detection and response or verification can be adopted alongside an existing provider such as Okta or Entra ID.

Transmit Security: Is fraud detection an extra licence?

It is a separate service, but it is designed to run inside the authentication flow rather than as a bolted-on second vendor. Confirm which services are in your quote.

Transmit Security: Is there a way to try it?

Yes, a free developer tier exists for evaluation, though production use is an enterprise agreement.

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